After a sabbatical from menu planning, I’m back… and with a few changes in our family’s food lifestyle. I am so ready to lose this baby weight and get back in shape. Joe’s been wonderful; he’s wanting to lose a few pounds too (though I don’t see why. My husband is HOT) so we’ve been going on family walks in the evening when he gets home from work. And we’ve been going down to the Soulard Farmer’s Market every week or so, stocking up on fruits and vegetables. All the fresh good produce helps me stick to one of our new food changes: a big green salad and fresh fruit or vegetables with dinner every night.
Deprive Yourself of Deprivation
See, I’m not good with deprivation. If I just focus on cutting out bad stuff (ice cream, say, or double stuff oreos, or pasta with cream sauce…) then I’ll just feel deprived. I will last for about a week. I love food. I don’t like feeling deprived of it. So instead of letting that be a weakness, I’m making it a strength: I love stuff that’s bad for me, yes, but I also love stuff that’s good for me. Fresh fruit: pineapple, raspberries, grapes, kiwi, apples, plums… (I’m addicted to frozen grapes right now. Amazing.) Fresh vegetables: mushrooms, spinach, crunchy carrots, artichokes, cauliflower.
Instead of focusing on cutting bad stuff out, I’m just focusing on getting more good stuff into what we eat. I don’t feel deprived; quite the opposite, in fact. I love having a refrigerator full of good stuff to munch on or cook with. And if I want something that’s “bad,” well, I have some. Just some. I figure if the bulk of what I eat is fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other good stuff, then my body can handle that other stuff. Maybe that’s simplistic, but I like simple.
The 16-Week No Soda Challenge
One exception: I’m joining my mother-in-law on a 16-week “NO SODA” pledge. Starts May 10… Ah, soda, goodbye… You’ve been no good for me. Anyone up for joining in the challenge? Pop in a comment below and we can start keeping each other accountable. I need it. I drink water, mostly, but I sure like a cold dr. pepper now and then… I’m thinking the first few weeks will be the most difficult.
Visit the host of Menu Plan Monday!
Monday: Ham, Mushroom, & Swiss Quiche; Salad; Green Beans; Kiwi & Grapes
Tuesday: Chicken Curry; Fresh Pineapple; Salad
Wednesday: (finger foods; we have a picnic-meal on Wednesday nights between work and church) Steak Sandwiches; Baked Corn Chips; Apples
Thursday: Citrus-Marinated Tilapia; Potato Salad; Fresh Spinach Salad
Friday: Chicken Caesar Salad; Lemon Garlic Pasta; whatever fruit we still have!
I don’t have any recipes up yet;
shoot me an email or leave a comment if there’s one you want.
Sometimes (often, in fact) the best food is the simplest. Shear the corn kernels off the cob, grate some cheddar, sprinkle onto tortillas and cook about 4 minutes per side in a hot skillet (watch that they don’t burn). Let cool for a couple of seconds, then slice with a pizza cutter into triangles. Eat them hot and melty with salsa and sour cream, or fresh mashed avocado, or diced cilantro, a squeeze of lime, or black bean salad, or all of the above…
